Liquid detergent compositions which are suitable for hand dishwashing must satisfy several criteria in order to be effective. These compositions must be effective in cutting grease and greasy food material and once removed, must keep the greasy material from re-depositing on the dishware.
The presence of suds in a hand dishwashing operation has long been used as a signal that the detergent continues to be effective. However, depending upon the circumstances, the presence of suds or the lack thereof, has no bearing upon the efficacy of liquid detergents. Therefore, the consumer has come to rely upon a somewhat erroneous signal, the lack or absence of soap suds, to indicate the need for additional detergent. In many instances the consumer is adding an additional amount of detergent far in excess of the amount necessary to thoroughly clean the dishes. This wasteful use of detergent is especially true in hand dishwashing since the soiled cooking articles are usually cleaned in a "washing difficulty" queue, for example, glasses and cups, which usually do not contact greasy food, are washed first, followed by plates and flatware, and finally pots and pans which contain the most residual food material and are usually, therefore, the "greasiest".
The lack of suds in the dishwater when pots and pans are usually cleaned, together with the visual inspection of the amount of residual food material on the cookware surface, typically compels the consumer to add additional detergent when a sufficient amount still remains in solution to effectively remove the soil and grease from the dishware or cookware surface. However, effective grease cutting materials do not necessarily produce a substantial amount of corresponding suds.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for liquid dishwashing detergents useful for hand washing dishware which have an enduring suds level while maintaining effective grease cutting properties. The need exists for a composition which can maintain a high level of suds as long as the dishwashing composition is effective. Indeed, there is a long felt need to provide a hand dishwashing composition which can be use efficiently by the consumer such that the consumer uses only the necessary amount of detergent to fully accomplish the cleaning task.